Application of sugarcane bagasse ash in the production of low cost soil-cement brick

Abstract

This work investigated the use of sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) generated by an energy co-generation process in sugarcane mill as an alternative raw material in soil-cement brick. The SCBA obtained from a sugarcane mill located in southeastern Brazil was characterized with respect to its chemical composition, organic matter content, X-ray diffraction, plasticity, and pozzolonic activity. Soil-cement bricks were prepared by pressing and curing. Later, they were tested to determine technical properties (e.g., volumetric shrinkage, apparent density, water absorption, and compressive strength), present crystalline phases, and microstructural evolution. It was found that the SCBA contains appreciable amounts of silica (SiO2) and organic matter. The results showed that the SCBA could be used in soil-cement bricks, in the range up to 30 wt. %, as a partial replacement for Portland cement. These results suggest that the SCBA could be valorized for manufacturing low-cost soil-cement bricks.